DUBAI: Pakistan Under-19 captain Farhan Yousaf has set his sights on World Cup success after leading his side to victory over India in the Asia Cup 2025 final, underscoring the team’s growing confidence on the international stage.
“Our next goal is simple,” Yousaf said in an interview with Pakinomist news after the victory. “We want to be world champions.”
Yousaf said the team remained composed despite losing the toss, adding that being asked to bat first proved crucial on a pitch that favored batting.
“We were disappointed to lose the toss but once we were put in to bat we were happy because the wicket looked good,” he said. “We stuck to the plan we had discussed and executed it well.”
Pakistan posted a formidable total of 347 runs, a score that allowed the captain to demand an aggressive approach from his bowlers.
“After we got the total, I asked the bowlers to think as if they were defending 250 and attack from the start,” he said. “They kept that mindset, took wickets and applied pressure.”
The final was played in front of a packed crowd that included both Pakistani and Indian supporters, adding to the intensity of the event.
“Playing such an important match with fans from both countries in the stadium made it even more fun,” Yousaf said.
With the Asia Cup secured, Pakistan’s U19 team will next compete in a tri-nation series in Zimbabwe before turning their attention to the U19 World Cup.
Born in Kasur, Punjab, on 15 December 2006, Yousaf is a right-handed middle-order batsman and one of Pakistan’s emerging leaders, now firmly focused on translating continental success into global silverware.
